Chains of Mephistopheles -Does not affect the first card drawn in draw step -When you would draw a card, discard one card. If you did, draw one card. If you did not discard a card, put the top card of your library into the graveyard. Also, Upwelling + Braid of Fire sound fun in Commander.
@@kirayoshikage2510 there shouldn't be a "may" trigger on the card as it's meant to hose your opponents card draw abilities/spells. Except for first draw step, instead of only drawing that player has to discard before they draw, or if they have no cards in hand mill 1 and dont draw a card..
I give Mana Tithe, Withering Boon, and Illumination credit. They still do something that sticks with the color pie. Mana tithe has the taxing effect common in white spells, Wither Boon has the do something in exchange of a resource effect that a lot of black spells have, and illumination is almost like a Swords to Plowshare version of a counterspell.
if the title was white on a time spiral card, it meant that the exact same card already exists but it has a different color and name. So mana tithe is a copy of force spike
I personally think mana tithe does make sense a bit in the color pie, it's taxing a spell and taxing spells is a common white ability. the other ones really don't make any sense.
I love to run the mono white counterspells in my Mono white commander decks just to see the look on someone's face when the mono white player counters their spell
There were some creative ways to use protection from colors back in old school magic. Like Force of Nature deals damage to its controller as a draw back of having good stats for its mana cost. Since it’s “dealing damage” and not a cost, you can use a card that gives you protection from green.
Chains card, makes sense once you think about it, but isn't all that clear. If you draw for the draw phase this card doesnt activate. if you draw outside of the draw step you must discard a card from your hand before you draw a card. If you can not discard a card from your hand you instead take the card that you would draw and instead, put it into your Graveyard. That would be the best I could make of it and if I'm wrong then damn
Pretty much what it says, but you can draw potentially draw multiple on the draw phase, so the text is (as far as I understand)"before drawing your second and more (non-first?) card each turn. discard a card. If you had 0 cards in hand, discard the card that is being drawn instead"
You're right, but it doesn't replace only the FIRST card you draw on your draw step. So if something, lets say Dictate of Kruphix, draws you second card on your draw step, the chains replace the draw. Also, it isn't an activated ability, it doesn't activate. I think you meant it doesn't trigger for the draw step. But it isn't a trigger ability either. It's a replacement effect, so cards that interact with abilities, be it activated or trigger, like Bind, Srionic Resonator or Disallow, can't interact with it's replacement effect.
Here's a fun way to wreck an opponent's ability to cast anything. 1. Play Deathgrip/Lifeforce. 2. Cast Alter Reality on it to change the color type Deathgrip/Lifeforce can counter to the main color type an opponent is playing. 3. Cast Demonic Tutor to grab another Deathgrip/Lifeforce from your deck and put it in your hand. 4. Your next turn play the second Deathgrip/Lifeforce. 5. Flashback the Alter Reality in your graveyard to change the color type on the second Deathgrip/Lifeforce to the secondary color type previous opponent is playing. Can repeat this for all 5 colors with tutors, copy enchantment, clever impersonator, etc... plus color type hacking spells/effects.
Chains of Mephistopheles doesn't seem that complicated? Other than your first card draw per turn, every time you draw a card you have to discard a card first. And if you can't, you're milled for 1 before you draw.
It's just really poorly worded, so it's not intuitive. Especially with more than one on the field. Once you work it out, it's simple: If you are to draw a card besides the first card of your draw step, discard a card one at a time for each Chains on the battlefield instead. If you can't discard a card during this process, mill one card. If you successfully discard a card for each Chains, draw one card.
The first card you draw on your draw step doesn't get replaced, not the first for the turn. If something, lets say Abzan Beastmaster, draws you a card on your upkeep, before the draw step, it gets replaced.
I have 3 copies of Deathgrip. There is also a green version called Lifeforce that does the same against black, I have a couple of those also I used to play them against my buddy and his mono black deck back in the day. Nowdays they don;t see as much play as, especially green, usually doesn't have 2 mana (or more) to hold in reserve to counter things. Still, in the right type of deck a defensive style play could lend itself to a late game power type of deck build. Chains of Mephistopheles: Everyone gets to draw thier one card per turn as usual, the enchantment has zero effect on that. Any time a player would draw a card for any other reason, ability, spell, etc: They must first discard a card. If they can not discard a card, they have to self mill one card into the graveyard before they can draw. Example: PLayer is playing a blue deck. This odd black enchantment is on the table. Blue players turn: He draws for his draw step as usual. Nothing wierd happens, the enchantment doesn't do anything. Now the player decided to play Opt. He scrys one card, then he gets to draw. HOLD UP! First, he has to discard a card, as per the enchantment. If he doesn;t have a card to discard(maybe that Opt was what he drew earlier) he must place the top card of his library into his graveyard, THEN he can draw the card. It's not that hard to follow.
I have a few copies of Life Force + Death Grip; got them from the Commons Box at my local Play & Trade Club. Thinking about putting them in my Iname of Life & Death Commander Deck. I've been having trouble with blue opponents countering my creatures with added effects but if my creature is still on the stack and they respond I can counter my own creature and fizzle their counter spell.
How to explain Chains of Mephistopheles: -Opponent is attempting to draw a card -Is it their draw step? If so, proceed as normal -Otherwise, before that player can draw their card, they must discard a card first -If that player has no cards to discard, instead of drawing, they put the top card of their library into their graveyard and do not draw a card This would make casting a spell like Opt (scry 1, draw a card) work more like casting Radical Idea (draw a card, jumpstart) from exile, where you have to discard a card in order to draw one.
Fade Away: Very weird card that essentially is a blue board wipe at uncommon if people didn't have untapped lands. Personal Sanctuary: weird card that does nothing in pure mono white strategies but breaks symmetrical damage cards like sulfuric vortex. Dash hopes: yet another off color Counterspell for black but now damages the opponent if they want it to resolve. Very solid card. Temporal Extortion: Mono black time walk for 4 mana unless people wanna lose half their life, which I've never seen someone care enough about it to take action on that.
Chains of mephistopholes: what it seems like is that it does nothing to the draw step, but for any additional card that person draws, they have to discard a card, or if they can't, mill a card. It seems like it's for shutting down draw-heavy decks.
The chains are actually surprisingly simple, if you would draw (except the first draw on draw step), instead discard a card and then draw a card, but if you can't discard (you have no cards in hand), you mill one from your library and DON'T draw a card.
Every time u draw a card, (other then the first card u draw that turn), u must discard a card or if u have no cards us must discard the card u where going to draw.
Dawn charm, does three things normally not associated with white (Fogging - Green, Regenerating - Black and Countering - Blue). Planar chaos was a set that focused on screwing with the color pie.
My group plays with Chains (because it’s a great annoyer for my grixis mill) and we play as “if you draw anything but your draw step card then discard before you do. If you can’t discard then mill one”
The way that exile was suposed to work before eldrazi started screwing with it was that exiled permanents do not even exist any more. They have been removed from the game.
Chains of Mephistophcles: Except for the first card drawn during the draw phase, if a player would draw a card, that player must discard a card first. If a player cannot discard you thought it was the rest of the card description, but it was me, Dio!
Chains of mephy is actually really fun. The basic idea behind this card is if you go to draw during draw phase you ignore the effect for that 1 card. If you use say jace belereen well everyone discards a cards but still gets to draw. If they didnt have a single card in their hand before the drawing they put it into graveyard instead of drawing at all. So easy way to explain. When you draw you discard a card before you draw then if you have no cards in your hand as you draw that card instead it goes to graveyard. But you ignore this during your basic draw step. I cant simplify this any more than this honestly.
Chains of Mephistopheles caused a legit fist fight in my LGS way back in the day. Kind of unheard of, but also comical watching two nerds who didn't have a single combat skill between 'em go at it.
Chains of Mephistopheles is _super_ simple. Any time they draw an EXTRA card, they have to discard a card. And if they cannot do so (which seems like it'd usually be impossible), they must mill 1.
It seems like Black, Blue & White were each in a competition with each other to see who could be the most effed up and degenerate and I'm actually impressed by this petty competition of "Hold my beer."
It's pretty simple if you only have one Chains of Mephistopheles on the field. If you have one or more cards in hand, you discard a card and draw a card instead of drawing a card. If you have no cards in hand then you can't discard, so you mill the top card of your library. The replacement effect already happened once, so it doesn't happen again (CR614.5). If you have two Chains on the field and one card in hand, you discard, then the second Chains replaces your draw from the first Chains. You now have no cards in hand, so you mill one card. If you have two Chains on the field and two cards in hand, you discard, then the second Chains replaces your draw. You discard the card in your hand and draw. Basically, if you have less cards in hand than the number of Chains on the field, you discard your hand (if you have any cards in hand) and mill one. If you have the same amount or more cards in hand than Chains on the field, you discard a card for each Chains then draw one.
Sway of the stars could be decent if you have less then 7 life and your opponents board is huge. Not only that but if you were running a really fast haste deck you could scoop the game in two turns. (or if you can figure out the trick to casting sorceries at instant speeds, interrupt a finishing attack and reverse the game.)
Chains of mephostopheles: draw a card after the first in your own draw phase? Wait, first, do you have cards in hand? Yeah? Okay, discard a card before you draw. If you don't have any in hand, mill 1 instead of drawing. Or at least that's how I understand it
Chains of Mephistopheles: Whenever a player would draw a card, if they have already drawn a card this turn, they instead discard a card then draw a card. If the player had no cards in their hand to discard in this way they instead put the top card of their library into their graveyard.
I used to run Upwelling in Omnath Locus of Mana years ago, the only problem was that whenever I play it, I die by Mono Blue artifacts before my turn comes back, so it's not there anymore.
No, replacement effects only happen once (614.5: A replacement effect doesn't invoke itself repeatedly; it gets only one opportunity to affect an event or any modified events that may replace it. Example: A player controls two permanents, each with an ability that reads "If a creature you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals double that damage to that permanent or player instead." A creature that normally deals 2 damage will deal 8 damage-not just 4, and not an infinite amount.)
If they would draw except the first draw on the draw step and they don't have cards in hand, they mill one and don't draw a card. If they have cards in hand, they discard and then draw and the chains doesn't replace the draw it causes, so, no, it doesn't instamill you.
Well, the way I see it, Withering Boon does fit Black's role in the Color Pie. Paying life to do something that you normally wouldn't be able to do is a Black staple.
I actually use upwelling in my commander deck-becuase visier of remedies and devoted druid is a fair and balanced combo. i basically use upwelling as a contingency plan
Mephisto is easy: you draw during your draw phase as normal but if you would ever draw card otherwise, you have to discard first. If you can't, instead of drawing, you mill.
"Color pie" didn't really exist as it does now in the 90s (i.e., as prescriptive definitions of what colors can/can't do) but was created c. ~2000 to describe what the colors already did. This is why there were a lot more offbeat cards and top-down/flavor-based designs like, say, Sylvan Library, that fit thematically with a color but don't fit with the mechanics of the color pie.
I recently bought a booster pack and it had "Animate Dead" and i can't make heads or tails of what it does. Something about enchanting a creature in your graveyard and if the creature enters the battlefield the card moves or something. Very confusing.
Death grip and life force, are the same card via video colors and they’re great Guttural response a gruul hypid mana (1cmc) that’s states “ counter target blue instant spell” A mono red (1cmc red) instant with counter target blue spell or destroy target blue permanent, along with red elemental fire. Same cmc same cost All 3 are great cards to stop a card d yours from being countered Great cards
I remember playing Sway the Stars in limited once. And I mean actually playing it, not just putting it in my deck. I can't remember the full context, but it was presumably in a very controlling deck.
Chains of Mephistopheles it's not that complicated. You draw normally during your draw phase. Any other drawing of a card outside of your draw phase is then changed to a rummage effect. If you can't discard a card (example, your hand is empty) You must mill a card at which point you do not draw a card.
You're right, but it doesn't replace only the FIRST card you draw on your draw step. So if something, lets say Dictate of Kruphix, draws you second card on your draw step, the chains replace the draw.
what happens if you have a card in exile due to a seal away type effect when sway the stars happens would the card enter the battlefield then get removed or come into play after the stars resolve
Chains of Mephistopheles isn't too hard to figure out: 1: This doesn't affect the draw step 2: If someone gets an effect to draw a card after the draw step, they have to discard a card first, then they can draw. 3: If they CAN'T discard a card, they mill one off the top of their deck instead of discarding.
Omnath lasts between turns. Read the rulings. The reason this works is that mana technically only empties at the end of steps and phases, not between turns themselves. (Comprehensive Rules 106.4)
01/03/2010 You can keep green mana in your mana pool indefinitely while Omnath is on the battlefield. That means if you add a green mana to your mana pool during one step or phase, you can spend it during a later step or phase, or even a later turn. Other types of mana will continue to empty from your mana pool as each step and phase ends.
New Chandra 6 emblem with the artifact to pop it off twice in one turn do that then sway of the stars bleed everyone by the time they can cast anything
Sway of the stars is banned in commander because it really has the potential for bad beats. 12 and 15 manna available isn't the exception but the norm. floating your extra mana, casting things like sway of the stars then casting you general is very easy and turns a game reset into a massacre.
Upwelling also works for your opponents though... Unlike Omnath, Locus of Mana or Kruphix. Though they have drawbacks. (Omnath only works on Green Mana and Kruphix turns it colorless respectively)
Durkwood Boars is a vanilla green creature. What's weird is the flavor text is a passage from the Bible. Odd considering how Wizards of the Coast like to write their own lore for MTG.
Chains of Mephistopheles
-Does not affect the first card drawn in draw step
-When you would draw a card, discard one card. If you did, draw one card. If you did not discard a card, put the top card of your library into the graveyard.
Also, Upwelling + Braid of Fire sound fun in Commander.
Odd that there is no "you may" next to the "discard one card"
Thank you very helpfull
Yeah I understood that as perfectly as you. What about that is confusing?
@@kirayoshikage2510 there shouldn't be a "may" trigger on the card as it's meant to hose your opponents card draw abilities/spells. Except for first draw step, instead of only drawing that player has to discard before they draw, or if they have no cards in hand mill 1 and dont draw a card..
Wait. Is the card you draw from the chains loot trigger also affected by chains?
I thought this series was over. Great to see it back! :D
Mana tithe and dawn charm could be explained:
Mana tithe is a tax
Dawn charm protects yoy
I give Mana Tithe, Withering Boon, and Illumination credit. They still do something that sticks with the color pie. Mana tithe has the taxing effect common in white spells, Wither Boon has the do something in exchange of a resource effect that a lot of black spells have, and illumination is almost like a Swords to Plowshare version of a counterspell.
if the title was white on a time spiral card, it meant that the exact same card already exists but it has a different color and name. So mana tithe is a copy of force spike
wasn't it planar chaos not time spiral?
I personally think mana tithe does make sense a bit in the color pie, it's taxing a spell and taxing spells is a common white ability. the other ones really don't make any sense.
Khruphix god of horizons is another card that keeps it through turns but it turns colorless.
Indeed; he is a key card in my stupid Commander deck built around Villainous Wealth.
As well as Omnath, Locus of Mana, but only keeps green mana.
I love to run the mono white counterspells in my Mono white commander decks just to see the look on someone's face when the mono white player counters their spell
They still expect white to control a bit, so it's kinda surprising.
What is amusing is playing "avoid fate" in a monogreen deck!
There were some creative ways to use protection from colors back in old school magic. Like Force of Nature deals damage to its controller as a draw back of having good stats for its mana cost. Since it’s “dealing damage” and not a cost, you can use a card that gives you protection from green.
Chains card, makes sense once you think about it, but isn't all that clear.
If you draw for the draw phase this card doesnt activate. if you draw outside of the draw step you must discard a card from your hand before you draw a card. If you can not discard a card from your hand you instead take the card that you would draw and instead, put it into your Graveyard.
That would be the best I could make of it and if I'm wrong then damn
Pretty much what it says, but you can draw potentially draw multiple on the draw phase, so the text is (as far as I understand)"before drawing your second and more (non-first?) card each turn. discard a card. If you had 0 cards in hand, discard the card that is being drawn instead"
You're right, but it doesn't replace only the FIRST card you draw on your draw step. So if something, lets say Dictate of Kruphix, draws you second card on your draw step, the chains replace the draw. Also, it isn't an activated ability, it doesn't activate. I think you meant it doesn't trigger for the draw step. But it isn't a trigger ability either. It's a replacement effect, so cards that interact with abilities, be it activated or trigger, like Bind, Srionic Resonator or Disallow, can't interact with it's replacement effect.
Here's a fun way to wreck an opponent's ability to cast anything.
1. Play Deathgrip/Lifeforce.
2. Cast Alter Reality on it to change the color type Deathgrip/Lifeforce can counter to the main color type an opponent is playing.
3. Cast Demonic Tutor to grab another Deathgrip/Lifeforce from your deck and put it in your hand.
4. Your next turn play the second Deathgrip/Lifeforce.
5. Flashback the Alter Reality in your graveyard to change the color type on the second Deathgrip/Lifeforce to the secondary color type previous opponent is playing.
Can repeat this for all 5 colors with tutors, copy enchantment, clever impersonator, etc... plus color type hacking spells/effects.
You made me love you more by saying you love playing commander
Chains of Mephistopheles doesn't seem that complicated?
Other than your first card draw per turn, every time you draw a card you have to discard a card first. And if you can't, you're milled for 1 before you draw.
If you are forced to mill via its effect, you do not get to draw.
It's just really poorly worded, so it's not intuitive. Especially with more than one on the field. Once you work it out, it's simple: If you are to draw a card besides the first card of your draw step, discard a card one at a time for each Chains on the battlefield instead. If you can't discard a card during this process, mill one card. If you successfully discard a card for each Chains, draw one card.
But the Chains says "instead of drawing" so if you had 0 card hand, you don't draw (the second+ card each turn) and it goes to the graveyard, no?
Heh, actually you don't draw if you had to mill ;)
The first card you draw on your draw step doesn't get replaced, not the first for the turn. If something, lets say Abzan Beastmaster, draws you a card on your upkeep, before the draw step, it gets replaced.
The only card I can think of that is similar to upwelling is Omnath locus of mana, The difference is it only affects you and your green mana.
And Kruphix, the green-blue god too.
Kruphix, god of Horizons
I have 3 copies of Deathgrip. There is also a green version called Lifeforce that does the same against black, I have a couple of those also I used to play them against my buddy and his mono black deck back in the day. Nowdays they don;t see as much play as, especially green, usually doesn't have 2 mana (or more) to hold in reserve to counter things. Still, in the right type of deck a defensive style play could lend itself to a late game power type of deck build.
Chains of Mephistopheles: Everyone gets to draw thier one card per turn as usual, the enchantment has zero effect on that.
Any time a player would draw a card for any other reason, ability, spell, etc: They must first discard a card. If they can not discard a card, they have to self mill one card into the graveyard before they can draw.
Example: PLayer is playing a blue deck. This odd black enchantment is on the table. Blue players turn: He draws for his draw step as usual. Nothing wierd happens, the enchantment doesn't do anything. Now the player decided to play Opt. He scrys one card, then he gets to draw. HOLD UP! First, he has to discard a card, as per the enchantment. If he doesn;t have a card to discard(maybe that Opt was what he drew earlier) he must place the top card of his library into his graveyard, THEN he can draw the card. It's not that hard to follow.
I have a few copies of Life Force + Death Grip; got them from the Commons Box at my local Play & Trade Club. Thinking about putting them in my Iname of Life & Death Commander Deck.
I've been having trouble with blue opponents countering my creatures with added effects but if my creature is still on the stack and they respond I can counter my own creature and fizzle their counter spell.
Chains of meph: whenever you would draw an additional card discard a card first. If you cant discard a card, instead of drawing a card, mill it.
The first omnath also lets you keep unspent mana in your mana pool
Yeah, but I think it works for only green mana. And Kruphix, the green-blue god does it for any kind of mana, but turns it into colorless.
only green mana for omnath and kruphix did the same but turned it to colorless, this permits to retain all colors of the mana.
There is Kruphix, God of Horizons that does almost the same thing as Upwelling
The god turns the mana into colorless, though.
For the Mana staying through turns kruphix does that but the Mana becomes colorless
And Omnath, Locus of Mana does it but only for green
I believe the original Omnath lets you keep Mana between phases and turns too. (Only green, IIRC, but still. Cool in commander.)
Update: it also allows you to do some REALLY dumb shit in a mono green devotion commander deck. Just be sure to have a healthy supply of lands.
Bonus points if you give Aisling Leprechaun protection from green
This series was the series that got me into this channel.
How to explain Chains of Mephistopheles:
-Opponent is attempting to draw a card
-Is it their draw step? If so, proceed as normal
-Otherwise, before that player can draw their card, they must discard a card first
-If that player has no cards to discard, instead of drawing, they put the top card of their library into their graveyard and do not draw a card
This would make casting a spell like Opt (scry 1, draw a card) work more like casting Radical Idea (draw a card, jumpstart) from exile, where you have to discard a card in order to draw one.
if you are reading this, now your friends will all conspire and bring the chains of mephistopitcles card to your next multiplayer commander game
It actually fits pretty well in a commander list I'm building but it costs several hundred dollars lmao
I know I would play this.
Love this Des. Commentary was great.
Fade Away: Very weird card that essentially is a blue board wipe at uncommon if people didn't have untapped lands.
Personal Sanctuary: weird card that does nothing in pure mono white strategies but breaks symmetrical damage cards like sulfuric vortex.
Dash hopes: yet another off color Counterspell for black but now damages the opponent if they want it to resolve. Very solid card.
Temporal Extortion: Mono black time walk for 4 mana unless people wanna lose half their life, which I've never seen someone care enough about it to take action on that.
Chains of mephistopholes: what it seems like is that it does nothing to the draw step, but for any additional card that person draws, they have to discard a card, or if they can't, mill a card. It seems like it's for shutting down draw-heavy decks.
The chains are actually surprisingly simple, if you would draw (except the first draw on draw step), instead discard a card and then draw a card, but if you can't discard (you have no cards in hand), you mill one from your library and DON'T draw a card.
Every time u draw a card, (other then the first card u draw that turn), u must discard a card or if u have no cards us must discard the card u where going to draw.
Sway of the Stars + Teferi's Protection seems good, if it weren't banned in Commander.
I want to use Sway of the Stars with Living Lore for a 10/10 creature that resets the game if it hits.
Dawn charm, does three things normally not associated with white (Fogging - Green, Regenerating - Black and Countering - Blue). Planar chaos was a set that focused on screwing with the color pie.
My group plays with Chains (because it’s a great annoyer for my grixis mill) and we play as “if you draw anything but your draw step card then discard before you do. If you can’t discard then mill one”
Lapse of Certainty- Esper. Super authoritarian from what I know. Makes sense mechanically (pun intended).
I loved planar chaos. Green ball lightnings and such.
The way that exile was suposed to work before eldrazi started screwing with it was that exiled permanents do not even exist any more. They have been removed from the game.
That was boring when Yugioh did it and it's boring when mtg does it too.
At that time you already couldn't interact with the grave much anyways.
Chains of Mephistophcles:
Except for the first card drawn during the draw phase, if a player would draw a card, that player must discard a card first. If a player cannot discard you thought it was the rest of the card description, but it was me, Dio!
Cover my favor red card!
Possibly storm!
Chains of mephy is actually really fun. The basic idea behind this card is if you go to draw during draw phase you ignore the effect for that 1 card. If you use say jace belereen well everyone discards a cards but still gets to draw. If they didnt have a single card in their hand before the drawing they put it into graveyard instead of drawing at all.
So easy way to explain. When you draw you discard a card before you draw then if you have no cards in your hand as you draw that card instead it goes to graveyard. But you ignore this during your basic draw step.
I cant simplify this any more than this honestly.
Chains of Mephistopheles caused a legit fist fight in my LGS way back in the day. Kind of unheard of, but also comical watching two nerds who didn't have a single combat skill between 'em go at it.
Chains of Mephistopheles is _super_ simple. Any time they draw an EXTRA card, they have to discard a card. And if they cannot do so (which seems like it'd usually be impossible), they must mill 1.
It seems like Black, Blue & White were each in a competition with each other to see who could be the most effed up and degenerate and I'm actually impressed by this petty competition of "Hold my beer."
I have 2 crazy cards for you. Timesifter and Mist Dragon. Nuff said
on the Tees, when looking for catchphrases, 'ban this broken garbage'
It's pretty simple if you only have one Chains of Mephistopheles on the field. If you have one or more cards in hand, you discard a card and draw a card instead of drawing a card. If you have no cards in hand then you can't discard, so you mill the top card of your library. The replacement effect already happened once, so it doesn't happen again (CR614.5).
If you have two Chains on the field and one card in hand, you discard, then the second Chains replaces your draw from the first Chains. You now have no cards in hand, so you mill one card.
If you have two Chains on the field and two cards in hand, you discard, then the second Chains replaces your draw. You discard the card in your hand and draw.
Basically, if you have less cards in hand than the number of Chains on the field, you discard your hand (if you have any cards in hand) and mill one. If you have the same amount or more cards in hand than Chains on the field, you discard a card for each Chains then draw one.
Sway of the stars could be decent if you have less then 7 life and your opponents board is huge. Not only that but if you were running a really fast haste deck you could scoop the game in two turns. (or if you can figure out the trick to casting sorceries at instant speeds, interrupt a finishing attack and reverse the game.)
Chains of mephostopheles: draw a card after the first in your own draw phase? Wait, first, do you have cards in hand? Yeah? Okay, discard a card before you draw. If you don't have any in hand, mill 1 instead of drawing. Or at least that's how I understand it
OMG, the Fatespinner IS self-aware!!
Chains of Mephistopheles: Whenever a player would draw a card, if they have already drawn a card this turn, they instead discard a card then draw a card. If the player had no cards in their hand to discard in this way they instead put the top card of their library into their graveyard.
I used to run Upwelling in Omnath Locus of Mana years ago, the only problem was that whenever I play it, I die by Mono Blue artifacts before my turn comes back, so it's not there anymore.
2:30 I have a friend who uses The Rack, which refers to upkeep in its description.
so does Chains of Mephistopheles insta mill someone if they are made to draw an additional card?
No, replacement effects only happen once (614.5: A replacement effect doesn't invoke itself repeatedly; it gets only one opportunity to affect an event or any modified events that may replace it.
Example: A player controls two permanents, each with an ability that reads "If a creature you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals double that damage to that permanent or player instead." A creature that normally deals 2 damage will deal 8 damage-not just 4, and not an infinite amount.)
W!cK3D dont try to understand, just burn any copies you see
If they would draw except the first draw on the draw step and they don't have cards in hand, they mill one and don't draw a card. If they have cards in hand, they discard and then draw and the chains doesn't replace the draw it causes, so, no, it doesn't instamill you.
Well, the way I see it, Withering Boon does fit Black's role in the Color Pie. Paying life to do something that you normally wouldn't be able to do is a Black staple.
Sway of the stars in a blue/white/green
Mana ramp, exile into sway of the stars. Exile your best stuff and then reset
I actually use upwelling in my commander deck-becuase visier of remedies and devoted druid is a fair and balanced combo. i basically use upwelling as a contingency plan
Mephisto is easy: you draw during your draw phase as normal but if you would ever draw card otherwise, you have to discard first. If you can't, instead of drawing, you mill.
"Color pie" didn't really exist as it does now in the 90s (i.e., as prescriptive definitions of what colors can/can't do) but was created c. ~2000 to describe what the colors already did. This is why there were a lot more offbeat cards and top-down/flavor-based designs like, say, Sylvan Library, that fit thematically with a color but don't fit with the mechanics of the color pie.
Upwelling doesn't see much play in commander since omnath and kruphix are better since they don't help your opponents
Kruphix is very similar to Upwelling, but he turns it into Colorless. Needless to say, he is a very popular Eldrazi Commander
I recently bought a booster pack and it had "Animate Dead" and i can't make heads or tails of what it does.
Something about enchanting a creature in your graveyard and if the creature enters the battlefield the card moves or something. Very confusing.
Death grip and life force, are the same card via video colors and they’re great
Guttural response a gruul hypid mana (1cmc) that’s states “ counter target blue instant spell”
A mono red (1cmc red) instant with counter target blue spell or destroy target blue permanent, along with red elemental fire. Same cmc same cost
All 3 are great cards to stop a card d yours from being countered
Great cards
I remember playing Sway the Stars in limited once. And I mean actually playing it, not just putting it in my deck. I can't remember the full context, but it was presumably in a very controlling deck.
Chains of Mephistopheles it's not that complicated. You draw normally during your draw phase. Any other drawing of a card outside of your draw phase is then changed to a rummage effect. If you can't discard a card (example, your hand is empty) You must mill a card at which point you do not draw a card.
You're right, but it doesn't replace only the FIRST card you draw on your draw step. So if something, lets say Dictate of Kruphix, draws you second card on your draw step, the chains replace the draw.
8:09 would you say the design team had a lapse of certainty.
*S T O P*
The red counter spell from amonkhet. It says end the turn for its effect for like 3 or 4 mana.
Deathgrip Lifeforce (both are weird)
Mana Tithe Force Spike (Planar Chaos was fun)
:D! Des is talking about Upwelling!
Upwelling is a symetrical effect, if you put that out in commander you will be helping your opponents which you have 3.
what happens if you have a card in exile due to a seal away type effect when sway the stars happens
would the card enter the battlefield then get removed or come into play after the stars resolve
Chains of Mephistopheles isn't too hard to figure out:
1: This doesn't affect the draw step
2: If someone gets an effect to draw a card after the draw step, they have to discard a card first, then they can draw.
3: If they CAN'T discard a card, they mill one off the top of their deck instead of discarding.
Upwelling; I need it for my mono green commander.
Also, use omnath, locus of mana and Doubling cube.
If you're ever making a tcg and creating s card, just imagine DesM reading it like the cards he reads in this video
Favorite series!
faithless looting got banned, waiting for the video, but godamn this will bring a lot of decks down a few pegs
Upwelling + braid of fire would be insane
I picked up Upwelling after your Braid of Fire video.
Omnath, Locus of Mana has a one sided upwelling effect (only for green mana). Brutal vsing as a commander.
Multiple people in my commander group have chains of mephistopheles you get used to hating it for what it actually does
Boi we're back!
That green enchantment = my second Omnath, Locus of Mana
OG Omnath does the same thing as Upwelling (I think) but only for green mana
Edit: Omnath does not last between turns, Upwelling does.
What? Omnath lasts between turns, assuming you're talking about locust of Mana
Dycie Fisk Omnath lasts through turns as well.
Omnath lasts between turns. Read the rulings. The reason this works is that mana technically only empties at the end of steps and phases, not between turns themselves. (Comprehensive Rules 106.4)
Kruphix does too, but turns the mana into colorless.
01/03/2010 You can keep green mana in your mana pool indefinitely while Omnath is on the battlefield. That means if you add a green mana to your mana pool during one step or phase, you can spend it during a later step or phase, or even a later turn. Other types of mana will continue to empty from your mana pool as each step and phase ends.
Darn des missed the red counter spells this video, image building a casual RWB counter spell deck.
Should do a vid on the weird red chaos spells, like warp world and such!
Wow, Des... did you look through my rares binder to make this video?
New Chandra 6 emblem with the artifact to pop it off twice in one turn do that then sway of the stars bleed everyone by the time they can cast anything
if you cast sway of stars at instant speed you could cast a spell that deals 7 damage to them under it
They're back
Sway of the stars is banned in commander because it really has the potential for bad beats.
12 and 15 manna available isn't the exception but the norm. floating your extra mana, casting things like sway of the stars then casting you general is very easy and turns a game reset into a massacre.
Ooh scourge I like that and Abzan appreciated ; )
Upwelling also works for your opponents though... Unlike Omnath, Locus of Mana or Kruphix. Though they have drawbacks. (Omnath only works on Green Mana and Kruphix turns it colorless respectively)
I can’t decide which shirt to get! Des help me out here, do I get “in response, table flip” or “nice deck my mom runs that too”?
Aura Swap is a keyword that was only used in one card: Arcanum Wings
Durkwood Boars is a vanilla green creature. What's weird is the flavor text is a passage from the Bible. Odd considering how Wizards of the Coast like to write their own lore for MTG.
This should be cards you should be playing haha
Could you use illumination on gleemax that you play as it doesn't specify that the opponent has to play it and then gain 1000000 life?
The original omnath has the same ability as upwelling. Oh yay redundancy..... there’s also an artifact that doubles floating mana.
Sway of the stars+phasing or sway of the stars+adventures would be cool
I just had a stroke from those chains, geez. Also yeah withering boon, I uses that becuase no one expects that
Can you imagine playing "turn to mist" into sway of the stars?
Or eerie interlude?
Check out Ghostly Flame
It has very funky interaction with protection or damage replacement effects
If a player would draw a card instead they go take an hour long shower and think about the life choices that led them to this moment.